This morning our city guide took us to some World War ll sites. She took us to three spots in Krakow where the Jewish people were persecuted. First we walked onto a square where individual chairs were lined up apart from other chairs. Jews had been rounded up and forced to sit on those chairs. Their fate was decided by some of the invading Germans. The book called PHARMACY IN THE KRAKÓW GHETTO was recommended highly by our city guide. She was a walking encyclopedia with impeccable English. We were lucky to have her.
Empty Chairs in the Square
Our City Guide, Didi
On September 1, 1939 the German Army invaded Krakow without a fight. The city was used as a supply center for the Germans. On September 17, 1945 the Russians invaded Krakow after the German Army had retreated without trying to defend Krakow. That is the reason that the buildings are still standing.
We went through the Kraków ghetto, then Schindler’s Factory which has been made into a museum. We had a delicious lunch nearby. The salad was wonderful, and the salmon was cooked to perfection.
Schindler’s List
Jewish Graveyard
Then all but three of us went on the optional tour of the Wielizka Salt Mine. None of us was impressed. They had messed up on the time of our small private tour, so we became part of a group of forty! The exhibits need a complete overhaul. I didn’t take one picture inside. The mines were a waste of money, but we had a lot of laughs toward the end of the tour and on the bus going to the restaurant. We were late to dinner afterward.
At dinner the waitress brought out three tossed salads for the six of us, so we were told to share. The penne dish was covered with very little tasteless sauce, undercooked bacon, and slimy mushrooms. None of us would recommend having penne there. At least the wine and ice cream tasted good. Miina arranged for us to taste Polish vodka….very strong! I didn’t look at the name of either restaurant today.
Miina suggested that we end the evening on a positive note. We hired a carriage pulled by two horses to take us around the square and back to our hotel.
Buggy Ride pulled by White a Horses
Finally, we went to our rooms to hopefully sleep well tonight!